Many Highland residents favor legal marijuana dispensaries in the Illinois town
Some residents are not pleased the marijuana question will be going to a ballot in the spring.
The Highland City Council voted unanimously Monday, Dec. 16, to send the question of whether a recreational marijuana dispensary will be allowed in town to the voters. Council members had taken heavy criticism since voting Nov. 4 to approve a permit process for a marijuana dispensary in town after it becomes legal Jan. 1.
At the first two meetings after the vote, speakers were strongly opposed to allowing a dispensary. On Monday, Dec. 16, speakers from both sides were heard as the council considered its vote to send it to referendum.
Emily Livingston urged the council not to cause further delay in their constituents’ access to legal cannabis. She compared it to a vote prohibiting residents from filling a prescription in the town where they lived, and that it was up to the marketplace to decide whether a marijuana dispensary was “the right image” for Highland.
“This was the first time since (councilman John Hipskind’s) losing vote that the issue was actually in the agenda,” Livingston said. “Not only were those supporting the dispensary who spoke a majority, but we were a significant majority. We were also more prepared, more personal, and represented a far more diverse set of beliefs in Highland.”
Livingston said one of the supporters had run an unofficial online poll of more than 200 Highland citizens, which was 3-to-1 in favor of allowing a dispensary.
“The city council bowed down to extremists and Hipskind’s political shenanigans,” Livingston said. “What Hipskind started and the entire city council went along with stinks. They’ve tried to unload their own political accountability and criticism from extremists onto the backs of cannabis patients. What’s worse is that they’re using tax dollars to play this political game.”
Hipskind was the sole no vote on the initial decision to allow the dispensary.
“This is an important issue that many people are passionate about,” he said. “That was made clear by the numerous people who voiced their opinion at the last few city council meetings. The referendum will only serve to give all interested citizens a voice. It will also allow city council to gauge the people’s position on this issue and govern accordingly.
“As far an extra cost to the taxpayers, the extra cost in ink to print the question on the ballot will be nominal.”
The 411 on marijuana dispensaries
Each Illinois city has been facing this question since Gov. JB Pritzker signed the law making recreational marijuana legal in Illinois. If a municipality did nothing, it was the same as opting in without oversight or regulation, according to Highland Police Chief Chris Conrad. So each municipality had a choice to opt in with regulations and restrictions as to location, hours, etc., or to opt out entirely, forcing residents to go to other towns for their supplies.
Highland opted for the former, allowing dispensaries subject to a permit process that must go before the city council with limited zoning, among other restrictions. But the next two council meetings were filled with residents criticizing the decision, arguing it would lead to higher crime and drug problems in Highland.
“Just say no! What’s happened to that?” asked resident Sandra Robinson at a previous meeting.
Others said it was a decline in values for Highland.
“Don’t become known as a pothead community,” said resident John Geismann.
The referendum will be advisory, so the results will not be binding on the council. In the meantime, the original ordinance stands, which includes treating marijuana similarly to alcohol and tobacco, requiring it cannot be smoked in public or be sold to minors, among others.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 1:07 PM.